A Boy Scout troop from the nation’s heartland is demanding answers and a U.S. senator is expressing outrage after a group of scouts was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, with one child allegedly held at gunpoint.

Jim Fox, the leader of the Mid-Iowa Boy Scout Troop 111, said the incident occurred earlier this month at a checkpoint along the Alaska – Canada border. The scouts and their leaders were on a 21-day trek from Iowa to Alaska – a trip that had been three years in the planning.

As their vans were moving through a checkpoint into the United States, one of the scouts snapped a photograph. [Imagine that!] Agents stopped the van and ordered all the passengers to get out. They told the underage photographer that he had committed a federal crime. It was unclear which agency with the Department of Homeland Security’s CBP agency was involved in the incident.

“The agent immediately confiscated his camera, informed him he would be arrested, fined possibly $10,000 and ten years in prison,” Fox told Des Moines television station KCCI.

During the search, one of the scouts tried to retrieve a bag from the roof carrier. When he turned around, Fox said an agent had a loaded pistol pointed at the child.

“He heard a snap of the holster, turns around, and here’s this agent, both hands on a loaded pistol, pointing at the young man’s head,” Fox told the television station.

The scoutmaster wrote a detailed account of the incident on his Facebook page. He said he tried to watch the agents search the van but was ordered to return to his vehicle. An agent followed him and told the youngsters “that the next one to leave the van would be handcuffed and detained.”

“The agent in charge informed me of the potential charges against (the) scout and informed me it is a violation of federal law for any American to take a picture of a federal agent or any federal building,” Fox wrote. [HUH? Does anyone know anything about that?]

Fox said he and another member of the troop were interrogated by agents – forced to answer questions about their background.

They also wanted to know why the Boy Scouts were hauling “excessive amounts of lighters, matches and knives,” Fox said. After a lengthy delay, the Scouts were released without any charges being filed. [Why indeed would Boy Scouts heading to Alaska have lighters, matches and knives? It boggles. The next thing you know they will also have tents, rope and back packs. Then? Who knows? Compasses, for God’s sake!]

“The boys were unnecessarily frightened and intimidated,” [D’ya THINK?] Fox wrote. “When do we Americans decide enough is enough? The TSA and border guards are a valuable asset to the safety of this country, but to have such Gestapo tactics against a teenage scout is uncalled for.”

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, agrees.

“It’s outrageous that a border patrol agent would point a gun at a boy scout just for taking a picture,” he told the television station. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

39 Responses to Boy Scout held at gunpoint at Canadian border

After much experience with police states of Zimbabwe and South Africa, it is more and more apparent that we have fully embraced the fascist police state of apartheid South Africa. You would be in grave trouble for photographing government buildings in South Africa.

But, the kid didn’t play his cards right. He should have said, “Yo no hablo ingles. You busco la condición de refugiado.” Immediately we would give him passage on a commercial airliner without any identification at all. Every bleeding heart would commiserate “the culture of violence and oppressive government (including petty armed agents terrorizing innocent citizens with guns)” and bend over backwards to beat up as many Republicans as possible and making as much political gains against their opponents as possible. We clearly dispense with law when dealing with the “noble immigrant” and we make up oppressive laws like this incident demonstrates when dealing with US Citizens.

Where we are going is very very disturbing indeed. As Father Z quouted a week or so back “the only people left with reason will be the faithful” or something like that. Thank God for the gift of Catholic teaching. Thank God. Thank God.

Meanwhile at the southern border teenage ms13 “boy scouts” from other countries who have illegally crossed the border are ushered into the US and turned lose with all kinds of rights. US citizens who are Boy Scouts are obviously the problem and Obama is right on top of that threat.

Now they use matches and hand sanitizer as an accelerant. (Works wonders on wet wood.) Times change for the Scouts and obviously for the country because at one point, Boy Scouts were considered the best path to producing God fearing, civic minded, sacrificing leaders. Now, they are pariahs as this incident and the attack of the homosexual lobby on them demonstrates. False victims of the white, homophobic Bible thumper are the new honorable class.

At the southern border, God knows who is entering the United States, and no one bats an eyelash.
Boy Scouts go for a camping trip, and everyone loses their mind.
As we famously say in the south, “There is no fixin’ stupid.”

I was at the airport in Kansas City a few years ago and witnessed the Homeland Security molest and elderly gentleman in front of his younger wife and their child. The poor guy was a typical American tourist being harassed. Yet, the one that could clearly be a terrorist walks right through without a hassle.

Americans are just not getting it. The government wants to control everyone’s movements and is beginning to curtail movements. This is obvious when one travels a lot. The individual not connected to an international company will be more and more harassed at borders.

To be an American citizen is not a protection any longer against the militarization of the police forces and immigration.

If Americans think this is weird or a one off, they are mistaken. Soon, I honestly believe, people will not be able to move state to state. Why? Power over movement stops freedoms of all sorts.

About 3 years ago, I was crossing over from New Brunswick to Maine. We crossed over a bridge and in the middle was a perfect scene with the American flag waving in the distance. So, I took a picture. Big mistake. When we got to the “checkpoint” I was asked for my camera because the officer saw me take the photo. I made the mistake of asking if he was serious; he was. After some polite conversation, explaining I had no idea that what I did was against the law, he let me delete all the pictures (didn’t matter that there was only one “offensive” pic) off the SD card, in front of him, and he “let” me keep my camera. I still can’t get believe what happened, and it was alot worse, apparently for the boyscouts. God love them. Blows my mind considering what appears to be happening at the other border in the south…………

It is not illegal to take photos of federal buildings or officers in so far as you are not impeding an officer and are not on private property. As someone has already mentioned, it is past the time when we citizens must reign in the militarization of all police, municipal, state and federal.

As one with friends and family members who work for CBSA, I can’t take this story at face value. Yes, there are laws regarding a prohibition on taking photos at certain federal high-security areas, border crossings maybe one of them.

Armed CBSA officers is a relatively new thing (prior they had to call in the Mounties) and not all are even armed yet. The story say allegedly and I will take that as such.

There have been issues of people using children to smuggle drugs into the country.

Also, people who don’t cooperate at the border crossing will not have a pleasant experience.

The problem of Customs Agents abusing their authority (especially in rural areas) is nothing new. Back in 1967 my family was traveling back from Montreal to the U.S. This was back in the era when only a driver’s license (which did not have a picture on it) was needed to cross the border. We had opted to cross back into New York on U.S. 11 instead of crossing over on the more heavily traveled I-87. Probably because it is the less commonly used route and our car had out-of-state plates the agent thoroughly searched the car. As Defender of Truth points out, it is not illegal to take photos of federal buildings or anything that is in plain view. Furthremore, according to the ACLU’s “Know Your Rights” Guide for Photographers ordering a photographer to delete information on a memory card is illegal.

I’ve never crossed the Canadian border. But I have plenty of experience with the southern border. Back in the 90’s, when I would visit a priest right across the Mexican border, I witnessed aggressive words and/or tactics all the time by Border and Customs agents–it mattered not if you were American or what nationality you are. I knew to be on my best, most polite behavior because short of shooting someone, they can do what they want, when they want, to whomever they want.

Pointing that loaded firearm at that kid is not unusual if you catch them on a bad day and don’t do what they tell you. “Back away from the vehicle and touch no luggage” means exactly that. Those of you who think anyone can walk across the southern border, or talk or act toward those agents, with so much as a smirk or attitude, do not know what you are talking about. Lecture them about your rights and, just for the fun of it, they will stick you in a “conference room” and leave you there for hours.

I’ve never done a land Crossing but using a camera at crossings in airports and cruise ship terminals is in fact illegal. A border crossing is not like a traffic stop. They have more authority than a cop, so shut up and don’t do a thing lest you provoke them. They do have the right to search your bags as searching luggage at a border crossing is deemed reasonable by the courts. That said I’m not defending this officer’s overreaction.

I spent a career as a federal criminal investigator. I am long out of the business. And weird stuff happens everywhere. I am certainly no fan of government misconduct, particularly these days !
But I would need to see a LOT more than a Todd Starnes story before I can draw any conclusions.

My father always said to believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see. Good advice.

DES MOINES, Iowa —Federal officials released a new statement to KCCI Monday in the incident involving an Iowa Boy Scout troop at the border.

“The Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Homeland Security, has opened in investigation into the allegations made concerning a July 7 incident along the U.S. –Canadian Border involving Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel and members of an Iowa-based Boy Scout troop. The OIG is taking the lead in the investigation, which is being conducted in conjunction with the CBP Office of Internal Affairs.”

The investigation comes weeks after the Iowa Boy Scouts group said a federal agent patrolling the U.S./Canadian border pointed a loaded gun at one of the scouts. Troop Leader Jim Fox said the scout took a picture of the officer as the group tried to re-enter the U.S.

Had disinfecting light not been placed on this story, I wager that the feds would have just seen this as normal day-to-day operations.

I’ve twice entered the U.S.A. over the land border with Canada, in 1991 and 2001 (a few weeks before 9/11), and on both occasions the immigration/border control officers were polite, welcoming and helpful – in fact, almost charming – on the second occasion my wife enjoyed being addressed as “Ma’am”. If, in the years that have passed since I last visited America, the immigration/border control have become rude and aggressive that is deeply regrettable and does nothing to encourage holidaymakers to visit the U.S.A.

Sorry Rancid. My bad. It makes so much sense now with it being on the US side. I loathe crossing into the US since my prints are on file from my security clearance for work. CBSA tends to be more interested in collecting taxes.

Simon_GNR. Everything changed after 9/11. I was on missionary visa in Canada for several years and after 9/11, I had to leave. No one in teaching or catechesis was wanted anymore, although the shortage in Canada was and is dire. Canadian immigration is no fun for Americans, either. Years ago, Fr. Corapi’s entire electrical support team was turned away by the Canadian officials despite visas. He came to a home schooling conference fighting mad at this “persecution”. He was right about that.

Even Americans have trouble at the borders now. Two friends of mine from Colorado coming through Canada from New York had horrific stories about the American side being “difficult”.

We are no longer free, but under quasi-military rule. But, most people do not see it, as they choose not to do so.

I lifted my camera to take a picture of the small customs building at the US/Canada ferry crossing from Cape St. Vincent NY to Wolfe Island. The Agent ran over to me and yelled , “No pictures. If you take a picture we will take your camera!” I was shocked. I was taking pictures of everything, I was on vacation, I was recording my trip. But he scared me sufficently to stop me, despite my naturally rebellious nature. I can’t see what harm a picture of the officers at their little shack would do anyone, or what bad use could be made of such a picture.

On all other occasions these men have been very polite and only asked what we were bringing back from Canada and how much it was worth. Clothes, toys, books, a few hundred dollars? On the way out they asked what was the purpose of our visit. They never searched us.

By the way, if you as a parent traveling without the other parent try to take a child or children out of the country, expect to be stopped. My daughter (then 10 or so) and I had to get out of the car and wait while the agent phoned my husband to see if he knew and agreed with my taking my daughter to Canada. This was at that bridge at the top of Michigan. They wanted ID for my daugher; the only thing we could find (she was ten) was her season pass from our local ski area! We finally got through, though and they were not rude. Once I understood the reason I was OK with it.
Susan Peterson

I clued into the “Alaska” thing right away. If you’re a federal public servant and a chronic screw up or otherwise on somebody’s sh*tlist, where do you think you’re sent?

They’ve been limited to ‘protecting’ their country in an Arctic … as far away as possible from anything substantive. I’d be inclined to put it down to having to deal with career terminated morons, banished to penguin-land.

“Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the German National Socialist Party between the years 1932 to 1945?”

“Are you a prostitute?”

“Have you ever assassinated or attempted to assassinate a US President or other Head of State?”

As far as I can remember the wording, those questions were actually on my application to immigrate to the USA.

This is when you resist writing: Since my membership in the Nazi Party lapsed five years before I was born, I have had to eke out a living as an international assassin, supplementing my income with a little bit of street-walking outside of assassination season.

Martlet’s comment made me laugh and reminded me of an occasion many years ago when I was interviewed by someone regarding the suitability of a friend’s son for a job with the national spy centre. His father was not English and I was asked if I knew whether his father had a radio in the attic. Somewhat taken aback I replied that if he did then surely it was unlikely that he would tell anyone. It must have been the right answer as the young man got the job!

Penguin-land is Antarctica, southern South America and South Africa – a long, long way from Alaska. Penguins are not native to the Arctic region, nor indeed to anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.

Search Fr. Z’s Blog

Search for:

When you shop…

... through Amazon, please, come here first? Enter Amazon through my search box. I'll then get a small percentage of everything you buy. (Pssst - Can't see the search box? Turn off your "ad-blocker" for this site!)

My wish lists

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.

- Proverbs 21:31

For Easter: another ethereal music CD from the chart-topping nuns…

Support them with prayer and fasting.

CLICK to buy Car Magnets & Stickers

Aedificantium enim unusquisque gladio erat accinctus.

- Nehemiah 4:18

"Let God arise! Let His enemies be scattered! Let those who hate him flee before His Holy Face!"

CLICK and say your Daily Offering!

Let us pray…

Grant unto thy Church, we beseech
Thee, O merciful God, that She, being
gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may
be in no wise troubled by attack from her
foes.
O God, who by sin art offended and by
penance pacified, mercifully regard the
prayers of Thy people making supplication
unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of
Thine anger which we deserve for our sins.
Almighty and Everlasting God, in
whose Hand are the power and the
government of every realm: look down upon
and help the Christian people that the heathen
nations who trust in the fierceness of their
own might may be crushed by the power of
thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world
without end. R. Amen.

Yes, Fr. Z is taking ads…

... and there will be nearly 1,000,000 page loads this month.

A bit more food for thought…

“Only one sin is nowadays severely punished: the attentive observance of the traditions of our Fathers. For that reason the good ones are thrown out of their places and brought to the desert.”

- Basil of Caesarea - ep. 243

Help Monks in Wyoming, Fr. Z, and get great coffee too!

Food For Thought

“The legalization of the termination of pregnancy is none other than the authorization given to an adult, with the approval of an established law, to take the lives of children yet unborn and thus incapable of defending themselves. It is difficult to imagine a more unjust situation, and it is very difficult to speak of obsession in a matter such as this, where we are dealing with a fundamental imperative of every good conscience — the defense of the right to life of an innocent and defenseless human being.”

- St. John Paul II

PLEASE RESPOND. Pretty pleeeease?

Should the US Bishops have us return to obligatory "meatless Fridays" during the whole year and not just during Lent?

Because you don’t know when you are going to need to move fast or get along without the supermarket…

Identity theft is a serious problem that you do NOT want to have. I use Lifelock.

And for your cybersecurity…

Wyoming Catholic College!

A great place in Rome…

More food for thought:

“I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square. His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as the church has done so often in human history.”

Check out the Cardinal Newman Society feed!

Be a “Zed-Head”!

Fr. Z’s stuff is everywhere

More food for thought…

"All laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are null and void."

- Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137, 176

Even More Food For Thought

"Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties:
1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes.
2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depositary of the public interests."

To set up a recurring, monthly donation (even a small one) go to the bottom of this blog and look for the drop down menu! Some donations also come through Chase/Manhattan (if you don't like PayPal).

I remember benefactors in my prayers and periodically say Mass for your intention.

I invite you to subscribe to a monthly donation.

Will you help? Go to the bottom of the page. So far, new subscribers for MARCH - TZ, AD, IB

Additional Food For Thought

“And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?... The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin's thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! If...if...We didn't love freedom enough. And even more – we had no awareness of the real situation.... We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.”

- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Fathers, you don’t know who might show up! It could be a “big fish” of one sort or other…

And... GO TO CONFESSION!

Leave Voice Mail for Fr. Z

Nota bene: I do not answer these numbers or this Skype address. You won't get me "live". I check for messages regularly.

Help the Sisters. They have a building project. Get great soap (gifts, etc.) while helping REAL nuns!

Food For Thought

“Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites. . . . Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere; and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters.”

Archives

ENTRY CALENDAR

Do you use my blog often? Is it helpful to you?

If so, please consider subscribing to send a monthly donation. That way I have steady income I can plan on, and you wind up regularly on my list of benefactors for whom I pray and for whom I periodically say Holy Mass.

Some options

The opinions expressed on this blog do not necessarily reflect the positions of any of the Church's entities with which I am involved. They are my own.